Machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes



Jan. 25, 1938. F; MOQNEY MACHINE FOR PRES SING THE BOTTOMS OF SHOES Filed April 15, 1956 Ill) Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED I s'mr s MACHINE FOR PRESSING THE BOTTOMS OF SHOES Fred L. Mooney, Lynn, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 15, 1986, Serial No. 74,553 In Germany February 27, 1936 17 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for pressing the bottoms of shoes and is herein disclosed in its application to a leveling machine of the so-called automatic type.

In one well-known form of leveling machine of the automatic type the leveling operation is performed by relative movement of a leveling tool or roll and a shoe support lengthwise of the shoe and in the leveling operation the roll is automatically controlled with respect to tipping movement about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe to position it in proper relation to different portions of the bottom of the shoe, means being provided for varying the lengths of the relative movements of the roll and shoe support to accommodate shoes of different sizes and for varying the relation of the shoe support to the roll when the roll is tipped to compensate for variations in the relative lengths of the forepart and shank portions of shoes of different styles. The shoe support comprises a toe rest provided with a rubber pad for engaging the toe end of the shoe and a spindle arranged to engage the heel end of the last in its spindle hole. The spindle is mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from the toe rest on a heel post which is adjustable toward or from the toe rest to position shoes of different sizes in substantially the same relation to the leveling roll.

Such machines are usually provided with spindle-tipping mechanism and with a socalled saddle of leather which is used to transmit the pressure of the roll to the shoe in operating upon certain kinds of work and is mounted for movement into and out of operative position over the bottom of the shoe for use alternatively with the spindle-tipping mechanism to jack the shoe, i. e., to force the toe end of the shoe firmly against the toe rest. When the saddle is used it is applied tightly over the bottom of the shoe by depression of a hand lever, the spindle being tipped somewhat toward the toe rest by the action of the last thereon as the saddle is thus applied and the toe end of the shoe is depressed against the toe rest.

An object of the invention is to afford better insurance that the shoe will be held against displacement as the pressure of the roll is applied through the saddle progressively along the bottom of the shoe, and, more particularly, to insure against tipping of the spindle in a direction away from the toe rest by the pressure of the roll on the upwardly inclined forepart of the shoe bottom. For the purpose in View, there is provided, as herein shown, a locking device arranged to permit the spindle to tip toward the toe rest as the saddle is forced against the shoe but to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation. In the illustrated construction the locking device comprises a member which is'movable in one direction in response to tipping movement of the spindle toward the toe rest, and a second member which is movable into position to act as a stop to prevent movement of the first member in a direction opposite to the direction in which it is moved by the tipping of the spindle toward the toe rest to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement. More particularly, in the construction shown, there is provided a bell-crank lever mounted for swinging movements about an axis extending laterally of the shoe in response to tipping movements of the spindle, and mounted for swinging movements about a different axis extending laterally of the shoe is a segmental member the edge face of which is arranged by engagement With a pin carried by one arm of the bell-crank lever to prevent swinging movement of the bell-crank lever in a direction opposite to the direction in which it has been swung by the tipping of the spindle toward the toe rest. Spring means is provided for operating the segmental member and preferably, as shown, the edge face of the segmental member is eccentric to the axis of its swinging movement for wedging engagement with the above-mentioned pin. As illustrated, the segmental member is held against swinging movement when the parts are in their initial positions by a latch,

and means is provided, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, for operating the latch to release the segmental member to the action of its operating spring by the movement of the hand lever to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe. This means comprises a member that is moved into and out of position to operate the latch by the movement of the saddle into and out of operative position over the bottom of the shoe. In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is provided means for swinging the segmental member against the action of its operating spring out of engagement with the above-mentioned pin and into position to be held by the latch in response to the upward movement of the hand lever to release the spindle for reverse tipping movement.

The above and other features of the invention,

including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawing and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a machine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in rear elevation and partly in section of parts of the locking device for the spindle; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view of parts of the locking device in their initial positions.

Since the invention is illustrated as applied to a leveling machine of a well-known type only such parts of the machine as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention are shown and will be described in detail. Features of the general organization of machines of this type are disclosed in various prior United States Letters Patent including Letters Patent No. 1,667,761, granted on May 1, 1928, and No. 1,719,158, granted on July 2, 1929, both upon applications of E. E. Winkley and H. A. Davenport. It will be understood that the machine includes an automatically controlled leveling roll It and a shoe support or .jack which in the power operation of the machine is moved automatically in directions lengthwise of the shoe to cause the roll to operate progressively along the bottom of the shoe. The jack comprises a toe post i 2 and a heel post l4 which are pivoted together for relative adjustment for shoes of difierent sizes by means of a threaded adjusting rod (not shown) which moves the heel post toward or from the toe post so that the toeends of shoes of different sizes will be presented in substantially the same relation to the roll I B. The jack as a whole is operatively movable about the axis of a shaft (not shown) on which the toe post is mounted and power-operated means, not herein shown, is provided for imparting to the jack oscillatory movements about this axis to carry the shoe rearwardly and forwardly under the leveling roll. The toe and heel posts are provided with means for supporting a shoe and last for the leveling operation. Mounted on the toe post I2 is a toe rest comprising a block I5 having secured to it a rubber pad 16 for engaging the toe end of the shoe. The heel post l4 supports a block 20 carrying a spindle 22 arranged to enter the spindle hole in the heel end of the last. As shown, the block 20 is pivotally connected to the heel post for swinging movements about an axis extending laterally of the shoe to permit tipping movements to be imparted tothe spindle in directions toward and from the toe rest. The spindle 22 extends through an enlarged opening in a plate 24 also carried by the block 20 which plate is free to tip about an axis extending laterally of the shoe to adjust itself to the top face of the cone of the last. The block 29 is connected by a link 26 to mechanism which will presently be described whereby the block and spindle may be swung to press the toe end of the shoe firmly down upon the toe rest.

For use in jacking a shoe alternatively with the spindle-tipping mechanism just referred to there is provided, as heretofore in machines of the type herein shown, a saddle 28 of flexible leather which, as illustrated, is of such length as to cover the entire bottom of the shoe and is connected at the opposite sides of its shank portions by springs 30, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, to thetwo arms of a bifurcated hand lever 32 which is utilized to apply the saddle tightly over the bottom of the shoe in the same general manner as illustrated in Letters Patent No. 1,263,361, granted on April 23, 1918, upon an application of W. C. Baxter, one of the arms 34 of the hand lever being shown in Fig. 1. Each spring 39 at its upper and lower ends engages spiral grooves formed in pins 36, 38 which project respectively from end members 46, 42, each member 40 being pivotally connected to a plate 44 fastened to the saddle 28 and each member 42 being pivotally connected at 46 to one of the arms 34 of the hand lever 32. To assist in holding the fulllength saddle in place there are provided additional springs 48 connected to the opposite sides of the forepart portion of the saddle and to the arms 34 of the hand lever 32. When the saddle is used the lever 32, the arms of which are pivoted at 52 to blocks slidably mounted in slots 52 on the toe post l2, pulls it down tightly over the shoe and is then looked to a segment 54 on the heel post. The slots 52 are concentric with the pivot about which the heel post is movable toward or from the toe post to permit relative adjustment of the toe and heel posts without disturbing the relation between the hand lever 32 and the heel post M.

The relation of the lever 32 to the spindletipping mechanism will now be described. As more fully shown and described in the abovementioned Letters Patent No. 1,719,158, there is pivotally connected to the lower end of the heel post M a link 55 having pivotally connected to its upper end links 53, one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The links 58 extend, one on each side of the heel post i4, toward the toe post it, and are connected to the arms 34 of the hand lever 32 by short upwardly extending links Eli. Depending from the two links 58 are arms 62 connected by a horizontal pin 64 extending through a slot 66 formed in a member 68 connected to the lower end of the link 26. Pivotally connected to the member 68 is a U-shaped member 'Hl which may be swung up into position to serve as an abutment for the horizontal pin 64 or down, as shown in Fig. 1. When the member 76 is in the latter position the pin 64 has free movement in the slot 66 as the hand lever 32 is swung downwardly so that no motion is imparted to the link 25 in operating the saddle. When the member 70 is in its uppermost position, in which position it is held by the engagement of a spring-pressed pin 72 in the member 68 in a recess '14 in the member 7!], downward movement of the handlever 32 forces the link 25 downwardly to operate the spindle by engagement of the pin 64 with the member "Hi. The spindle 22 is normally held tipped toward the toe support by means of a spring "it extending between one of the links 58 and a pin 78 projecting from the link 26. The mechanism for thus rendering the hand lever 32 effective to operate either the saddle 28 or the link 26 is substantially the same as that shown and described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,719,158.

For purposes of this invention there is provided mechanism which is operative when the saddle is over the shoe bottom to permit the spindle to tip toward the toe rest as the saddle is forced against the shoe but .is arranged to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation of the roll. Pivotally connected to the heel post M (Fig. 1) is a bellcrank lever 80 provided with a rearwardly ex tending arm 82 which is slotted to receive the link 26 and carries a pin 84 extending through the link (Fig. 2), The bell-crank lever 80 has a downwardly and forwardly extending arm 86 carrying a pin 88. Secured to the heel post I 4 by screws 99 is an angularly-shaped plate 92 to which there is fast a stud 94 (Fig. 3) and upon this stud there is pivotally mounted a segmental member or wedge 96. A spring 98 coiled about the stud 94 tends to impart to the member 96 a swinging movement relatively to the plate 92 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1). Projecting from the plate 92 above the stud 94 is a pin 99 upon which there is rotatably mounted a latch I96 provided with a notched end I02 which is arranged to engage a pin I04 projecting from the member 96 to hold the member 96 against swinging movement when the parts are in their initial positions. A spring I06 coiled about the hub I08 of the latch I90 tends to impart to the latch a swinging movement in a direction to hold its notched end I02 in engagement with the pin I04. When the hand lever 32 is in its initial position, with the saddle 28 in position over the bottom of the shoe, a plate IIIl fast to the member 42 is arranged to overlie a second arm H2 pro jecting from the latch Illll (Fig. l). As the hand lever 32 is swung downwardly to apply the saddle 28 tightly over the bottom of the shoe through the springs 39 and 48, the plate II ll acts by en'- gagement with the arm I I2 to swing the latch I89 against the resistance or" the spring H16 in a direction to move the latch out of engagement with the pin I04 and to release the member 95 to the action of the spring 98. As the saddle is thus applied tightly over the bottom of the shoe by downward movement of the hand lever 32 the pressure of the saddle on the shoe acts to force the toe end of the shoe into the rubber pad I8 oi the toe support, the spindle 22 and block 29 being tipped toward the toe support by the action of the last thereon as the toe end of the shoe is thus firmly seated on the toe support. Tipping movement of the block 29 toward the toe support causes the link 26 to move downwardly, thereby imparting to the bell-crank lever 80 a swinging movement in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1). As the bell-crank lever 80 is thus swung by the downward movement of the link 29, the member 96 is also swung in the same. direction by the spring 98. this movement of the member 96 being limited by the engagement of its edge face II l with the pin 88 carried by the arm 86 of the bell-crank lever 80. The edge face H4 of the member 96 is eccentric to the axis of the stud 94 on which the member 96 is pivotally mounted, the spring 93 acting to force the edge face I I4 against the pin 88 with a wedging action. In order to permit the member 96 to be swung by the spring 99 into position to lock the bell-crank lever 89 and the link 25 in whatever position they assume by tipping of the spindle 22 when the saddle is forced down on the shoe without interference between the member 98 and the spring I96, the member 96 has a slot II6 formed therein concentric with the axis of the stud 94. As the member 96 is swing in a counterclockwise direction by the spring 98 the pin IM acts by engagement with the latch I to hold the latch against swinging movement in a clockwise direction. If in operating on any shoe the pin I94 releases the latch I09 for clockwise swinging movement, a second pin IIfl projecting from the member 96 holds the latch against such swinging movement. It will be evident from the above description that with the lever 32 locked to the segment 54 the spindle and block 20 are locked against reverse tipping movement from the position into which they have been moved by the last by the. engagement of the member 95 with the pin 88. Thereafter in thepower operation of the machine as the jack is swung in directions lengthwise of the shoe under the leveling roll It the last and shoe are held by the spindle 22 against displacement in a direction away from the toe rest as the pressure of the roll H1 is applied through the saddle 28 to the upwardly inclined bottom surface of the forepart of the shoe.

For swinging the member 96 in a direction to release the block 20 and spindle 22 for reverse tipping movement to permit the shoe and last to be removed from the jack after the'completion of the pressure-applying operation, the member 95 has a rearwardly extending portion I20 which is arranged to be engaged by a laterally extending projection I22 on the hand lever 32 in the upward movement of the hand lever. When the hand lever 32 is unlocked from the segment 54 and. swung upwardly to idle position the projection I22 on the hand lever by engagement'with the rearwardly extending portion I2ll of the member 96 swings the member 96 in a clockwise direction far enough to move the pin I04 into position to be again engaged by the notched end I62 of the latch Hill, the arrangement of the parts being such that with the member 96 locked by the latch against swinging movement in a counterclockwise direction the bell-crank lever all is free to swing relatively to the member 96 without interference between that member and the pin 88.

The pivotal connections 45 between the members 4'2 and the arms 34 of the hand lever 32 permit the saddle 23 to be swung either to an idle position atthe front of the heel post, in which position it is usually draped over thehand lever 32, or to an operative position over the bottom of the shoe as shown in Fig; 1. As the saddle is swung to its idle position the plate i It is moved into a position in which it will not contact with the arm II2 of the latch I08 when the hand lever 32 is swung downwardly. It will be readily seen that with the saddle in its idle position the shoe support may be used as heretofore in jacking the shoe by swinging the U-shaped member it upwardly into position to be engaged by the pin Ed in the downward movement of the hand lever 32. It will be understood that the member 96 is held against swinging movement when the saddle is in idle position by engagement of the latch Hill with the pin I04.

When it is desired to use the saddle 28 the U-shaped member "I9 is swung downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 1 and the saddle 28 I is moved into position over the shoe by swinging it forwardly. It will be understood that before the saddle is moved into position over the shoe the operator will mount a shoe and last on the spindle 22 and will swing the spindle 22 and block 29 against the resistance of the spring I6 in a direction away from the toe post I2 by elevating the toe end of the shoe into position to engage the rubber pad I8 on the toe support. Thereafter, with the saddle in position over the bottom of the shoe, the hand lever 32 is swung downwardly to apply the saddle tightly over the shoe and to force the toe end of the shoe firmly against the rubber pad I8, thus causing the spindle to tip toward the toe rest by the action of the last thereon. This movement of the hand lever 32 causes the plate III] by engagement with the arm I I2 to swing the latch Hill in a direction to release the member 96 to the action of the spring 98. The member 96 is then swung; by the spring 98 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) until its edge face I I4 is wedged against the pin 88 in whatever position the lever 80 may assume in response to the tipping of the spindle 22 toward the toe rest as the saddle 28 is forced against the bottom of the shoe, thus locking the block 20 and spindle 22 against reverse tipping movement with the hand lever 32 locked to the segment 54. Thereafter, as the hand lever 32 is swung upwardly to idle position after the completion of the pressureapplying operation, the projection I22 on the hand lever acts by engagement with the rearwardly extending portion I20 of the member 96 to swing the member out of engagement with the pin 88 and into position to permit the notched end I02 of the latch IBIl to engage the pin I04, after which the last and shoe are removed from the machine.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from the toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing said saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and a locking device arranged to permit the spindle to tip toward the toe rest as the saddle is forced against the shoe but to act independently of the saddle to lock the spindle positively against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation.

2. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and locking means for the spindle, said locking means comprising a member movable in one direction in response to tipping movement of said spindle toward the toe rest, and means for preventing movement of said member in a direction opposite to the direction in which it is moved by the tipping of the spindle toward the toe rest to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation, said means being arranged to lock said member in any position into which it has been moved by the tipping of the spindle toward the toe rest.

3. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and locking means for the spindle, said locking means comprising a member mounted to swing in one direction in response to tipping movement of said spindle toward the toe rest, and a second member movable into position to prevent swinging movement of said first-named member in the opposite direction to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation.

4. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and locking means for the spindle, said locking means comprising a pin movable in one direction in response to tipping movement of said spindle toward the toe rest, and a member movable into position to prevent movement of said pin in the opposite direction to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation, said member being mounted to swing about an axis extending laterally of the shoe and having an edge face eccentric to the axis of its swinging movement for engaging said pin in any position into which the pin has been moved by the tipping of said spindle toward the toe rest.

5. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and means for locking the spindle against tipping movement in a direction away from the toe rest in the pressure-applying operation, said locking means comprising a member mounted to swing in one direction about an axis extending laterally of the shoe in response to tipping movement of the spindle toward the toe rest, and a second member mounted to swing about a different axis extending laterally of the shoe into position to act as a stop to prevent reverse swinging movement of said first-named member.

6. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and means for locking the spindle against tipping movement in a direction away from the toe rest in the pressure-applying operation, said means comprising a member mounted to swing in one direction about an axis extending laterally of the shoe in response to tipping movement of the spindle toward the toe rest, and a spring-operated wedge movable into position to prevent reverse swinging movement of said member.

7. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest,

a block, a spindle carried by said block and arranged to engage the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said block being pivotally mounted for swinging movements about an axis extending laterally of the shoe to permit tipping movements of said spindle in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and means for locking the spindle against tipping movement in a direction away from the toe rest in the pressure-applying operation, said locking means comprising a link connected to said pivoted block, a lever connected to said link, said lever being mounted to swing in one direction in response to tipping movement of the spindle toward said toe rest, a pin carried by said lever, and a wedge arranged by engagement with said pin to prevent reverse swinging movement of said lever.

8. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest, a block, a spindle carried by said block for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said block being pivotally mounted for swinging movement about an axis extending laterally of the shoe to permit tipping movements of said spindle in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever movable to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and locking means for the spindle comprising a link connected to said pivoted block, a lever connected to said link, said lever being mounted to swing in one direction in response to tipping movement of said spindle toward said toe rest, a pin carried by said lever, a wedge for engaging said pin to prevent reverse swinging movement of said lever, a spring for operating said wedge, a latch for holding said wedge out of engagement with said pin, and means for operating said latch to release said wedge to the action of its operating spring by the movement of said first-named lever to force the saddle against the shoe.

9. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe sup-port comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever movable to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and means for locking said spindle against tipping movement in a direction away from said toe rest in the pressureapplying operation, said locking means comprising a member mounted to swing in one direction in response to tipping movement of said spindle toward the toe rest, a second member mounted to swing relatively to said first-named member into a position to act as a stop to prevent reverse swinging movement of said first-named member, a spring for imparting to said second member its swinging movement, a latch for holding said second member against swinging movement, and means for operating said latch to release said second member to the action of said spring by the movement of said lever to force the saddle against the shoe.

10. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindlefor engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever mounted for downward and upward movements to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe and to relieve the pressure of the saddle on the shoe, and means for locking said spindle positively against tipping movement in a direction away from said toe rest in response to the downward movement of said lever and for releasing the spindle for tipping movementin that direction in response to the upward movement of said lever.

11. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever mounted for downward and upward movements to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe and to relieve the pressure of the saddle on the shoe, and a device normally inoperative but arranged to be rendered operative to lock the spindle positively against tipping movement in a direction away from said toe rest in the pressureapplying operation by the downward movement of said lever to force the saddle against the bottom,

of the shoe.

12. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever mounted for downward and upward movements to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe and to relieve the pressure of the saddle on the shoe, a device normally inoperative but arranged to be rendered operative to lock the spindle positively against tipping movement in a direction away from said toe rest in the pressure-applying operation by the downward movement of said lever to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, and means for rendering said device again inoperative by the upward movement of said lever to relieve the pressure of the saddle on the shoe.

l3. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pres sure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever for forcing the saddle against the bottom of the shoe, a locking device arranged to permit the spindle to tip toward the toe rest as the saddle is forced against the shoe but to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressureapplying operation, means for rendering said locking device inoperative, and means arranged to act through said last-named means to render said locking device operative by the movement of said lever to force the saddle against the shoe.

14. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever for forcing said saddle against the bottom of the shoe, a spring-operated device arranged to permit the spindle to tip toward the toe rest as the saddle is forced against the shoe but to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation, means for rendering said locking device inoperative, and means for releasing said locking device to the action of its operating spring by the movement of said lever to force the saddle against the shoe.

15. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle mounted for movement into and out of operative position over the bottom of the shoe for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, means for forcing said saddle against the bottom of the shoe, a locking device arranged to permit the spindle to tip toward the toe rest as the saddle is forced against the bottom of the shoe but to lock the spindle against reverse tipping movement in the pressure-applying operation, means for rendering said locking device inoperative, and a member movable into a position to act thereafter through said last-named means to render the locking device operative by the movement of the saddle into operative position over the bottom of the shoe.

16. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle for engaging the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever movable to force said saddle against the bottom of the shoe, locking means for the spindle comprising a member mounted to swing in one direction about an axis extending laterally of the shoe in response to tipping movement of the spindle toward said toe rest, a pin carried by said member, a second spring-operated member pivotally mounted for swinging movement about a different axis extending laterally of the shoe and having an edge face eccentric to said axis for engaging said pin to lock said first-named member against reverse swinging movement, and means for holding said second member against swinging movement and for releasing it to the action of its operating spring by the movement of said lever to force the saddle against the shoe.

17. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, the combination with means for applying pressure progressively along the bottom of a shoe on a last, of a shoe support comprising a toe rest and a spindle arranged to engage the heel end of the last in its spindle hole, said spindle being mounted for tipping movements in directions toward and from said toe rest, a saddle for transmitting the pressure of said pressure-applying means to the shoe, a lever mounted for downward and upward swinging movements to force the saddle against the bottom of the shoe and for relieving the pressure of the saddle on the shoe, locking means for the spindle comprising a pivoted member swingable in one direction in response to tipping movement of the spindle toward the toe rest, a pin carried by said pivoted member, a spring-operated wedge arranged by engagement with said pin to prevent reverse swinging movement of said pivoted member, a latch for holding said wedge out of engagement With said pin, a member for operating the latch to release said wedge to the action of its operating spring in the downward movement of said lever to force the saddle against the shoe, and means for moving said wedge against the action of its operating spring out of engagement with said pin in the upward movement of said lever to relieve the pressure of the saddle on the shoe.

FRED L. MOONEY. 

